


Spotlight

by thegreatwordologist



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Burgerpants got a new name!, Burgerpants the actor!, F/M, Friendship with Physical Affection (not sex), Original Characters - Freeform, Post-Pacifist, tags added as needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-19 21:40:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7378387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegreatwordologist/pseuds/thegreatwordologist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Barrier fell, Burgerpants found success on the Surface - massive success.  Within a few years, he became one of the leading actors in North America, surpassing even Mettaton.  But as his fame skyrockets, he's reminded of a young fan whose enthusiasm gave him the determination to succeed.  </p><p>What's he going to do about it?  He's going to find that fan!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Who Needs a Private Detective, Anyway?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [supasaiyanswagg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/supasaiyanswagg/gifts).



> So this story has been knocking around in my brain for ages, thanks to [supasaiyanswagg](http://archiveofourown.org/users/supasaiyanswagg). I chose to work on it during Camp Nano because I really needed a good kick in the ass to get it started... and with a little help from Pap-chat, (in the form of Sam), I'm finally able to post the beginning of it!
> 
> Now that I've gotten started, writing it should be a lot easier!

"The interview went well, I think." The words of his agent were companionable and friendly, but PM wasn't paying attention. His thoughts were off, traveling through memories he'd largely ignored since setting foot on the Surface and leaving his old self behind. Five years ago, he'd been just one more monster looking for work, willing to take pretty much any job offered to him. Five years ago, he'd set out on his own, willing to brave the loneliness, the discrimination, the abuse if he could just leave his past behind. He traveled a hard road, and he made it work.

"Do you remember the kid, Sam?" he asked, stalking toward the exit with his tail lashing behind him. He could picture the hopeful face, see the small hands holding out a publicity still as the kid smiled starry-eyed behind it. PM sighed, reaching in his pocket for a cigarette before groaning and balling one paw into a fist. Beside him, Sam chuckled.

"It'll get easier, PM," she assured him. "You've met a lot of kids since you started doing all those Monster Hero movies, you know. Any one you're thinking about in particular?" He shook his head, ears flicking back a bit in annoyance. 

"They... had a picture of me?" he said slowly, trying to recall details. It mattered to him, really, and he hated that he could barely remember, but it had been almost four years ago. As they reached the car, he slipped inside, slouching down once he was out of sight. Sam climbed into the driver's seat, glancing at him through the rear-view mirror.

"Do you remember where the appearance was?" she asked, simple and straightforward. PM liked that about her, just like he liked the way that it never seemed to bother her that he was a monster and she was a human, or the way she kept notes on everything to make him seem so much more amazing than he ever felt. When Frisk had brought her to him, he'd doubted the kid, but he'd given Sam a chance.

It had paid off for both of them.

He closed his eyes, scooting closer to the window so that he could rest against it as she drove. The sun had warmed the glass, and the warmth soothed him. Basking, he tried to focus the memory on that publicity shot. "Maybe Monster Hero 1?" he finally suggested, his voice a low purr. His ears flicked a bit as he thought about that first movie, and he finally cracked his eyes open a sliver to grin at the back of Sam's head. "Yeah, the picture had me in that godawful silver suit," he nodded, pushing himself up from the car door.

"And any idea which appearance?" Sam prodded. His ears flattened again at the sharp edge to her voice, and he sighed. 

"I don't know, Sam," he rumbled, shifting forward to drape himself in the space between the seats. At least leaning up like that, he was able to watch her profile. Her immediate grimace at his proximity amused him, but his mind was still back with the kid. "They had the picture, and I signed it."

"And did they get a photo with you?" Sam asked patiently. He could almost see her soul shining through her tone. 

"No, I don't think... wait, yeah! Yeah, they did! They weren't gonna, but you were pushing everyone to get one back then." As the memory returned, his excitement ramped up, and he dropped back to the back seat so that he could stare in the rear-view mirror, knowing she'd glance back. When she did, their eyes met, and he could see the smirk in hers.

"I did that because you needed exposure," she said simply. "People... humans... brag about pictures with celebrities. They post them. And they talk about the celebrities who take time for their fans and the ones who just ignore them." Her eyebrow raised pointedly on the last words, and he groaned, nodding even as he laughed. "Being an actor isn't just about being a professional on-set. It's about being a professional all the time."

"Did you save the pictures or something?" he asked slowly, trying to tamp down the hope in his voice. His answer was a throaty chuckle.

"Oh, PM. Is there ever gonna be a day I don't have to remind you to Not Doubt Me?" She pulled up at a stop light and twisted in her seat to give him a feral grin. 

PM grumped for a second, rolling his eyes as he said, "Ugh... humans!" And then his eyes slitted, and he grinned over at her. "I'm not doing anything tonight. Bring the pictures over?"

She cocked her head to one side as she turned back to face the road. "You're really interested in figuring out who this kid is, aren't you?" Her voice was soft and thoughtful. "What does it matter?"

"That kid," PM began, his voice low and faintly growling, "wants to be an actor. Because of me, they said, Sam." He fell silent for a minute, staring at the cars passing by. "That kid was the reason I changed. You remember what I was like in the early days. It was my dream job, but it was still..."

"...Just a job," Sam finished softly. "I always wondered what lit a fire under that tail of yours." She grinned. "So what are you gonna do about it?"

PM frowned, looking down at his paws thoughtfully. "I'm...," he started, then fell silent. What _was_ he going to do about it? Was there anything he _could_ do?

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to find them," he pronounced slowly, his eyes lifting to the mirror with new determination in them. "And I'm going to make them my apprentice. They want to be an actor? Then I'm going to do what Mettaton never did for me. I'm going to teach them how to be the best damn actor I can," he snarled, lips parted in a predatory, triumphant smile.

Behind the wheel, Sam cheered.


	2. Valuable Reputations are Earned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam has tricks up her sleeves when it comes to searching for fans.

PM stowed the last of his dishes in the dishwasher, taking a moment to tidy up the small mess he'd made of his kitchen table before moving to the living room to flop down. Sam was due any time, and though she was familiar enough with his home to write a book, PM still liked to give her the impression he considered her a guest. Besides, keeping his house as neat as he did meant there were fewer connections to his past for those few "in the know."

Soon enough, he heard the scrape of the key in the lock, and he yawned. So much for the nap he'd been flirting with. He stretched in that boneless way that surface felines seemed to share, then pushed himself to his feet just as Sam stepped through the door.

"Good," she said, grabbing the first of two boxes at her feet and hauling it with her. "You're up. Get that, would you?" She didn't give him time to answer. Instead, she set the box down beside the kitchen table. It made a heavy thud. "That box is actually your first appearances. I just brought the second in case you were a little wrong about the timeline."

PM frowned down at the box as he strained to lift it. Silently, he gave a soft breath of thanks for the weird workouts Sam had him doing to keep him in shape for any Monster Hero sequels that might crop up. He could tell the box was heavy, but he still was able to handle it all the way to the table. 

"How'd you even get it in here, Sam?" he demanded, once the box was set beside the other one, and the two were settled in chairs resting. 

Sam speared PM with a pointed look, arching an eyebrow as she shoved the sleeve of her t-shirt up so that she could flex her muscles. PM shrugged slowly, and Sam huffed as she reached out to swat him. "You think you're the only one who works out around here, PM? Don't even push me." Opening the first box, Sam grabbed a thick binder on top of the stack inside and pushed it over to PM. As his paws went to the cover, she reached for her purse. 

"Find the kid you want in the binder," she directed as she pulled out her tablet. Turning it on, she flicked over to the address book app she'd downloaded for record-keeping. "I've got everything cross-referenced."

PM blinked, looking up at her before his eyes dropped to the app in her hands, and a faint smile curved his lips. "So you could send them the pictures?" he asked quietly, knowing even as he said it that he'd receive her trademark predatory grin in response. When he did, he answered it with a gentle smile.

"Don't act stupid, PM," she muttered, reaching out to ruffle the fur near one ear. In response, he swatted at her hand and she laughed. He marveled, sometimes, that she never offended him with such ridiculous actions... but she didn't. He knew it was silent teasing, just as he knew there was an intimacy there neither one of them ever really acknowledged. But it was that intimacy that let her reach out to him in such a way without invoking his ire. From anyone else, the act would've been horribly offensive and intrusive. From her... it was familiar.

He huffed, starting to look through the pictures she had carefully preserved behind the protective sheets that covered each page of the binder. "So you could send them pictures and...?" he prompted after a moment, hesitating over the picture of a small girl with Shirley Temple curls. Her smile was bright and winning, but... no. No, the child who had inspired him to change hadn't been so polished. He turned the page.

"And track them down," Sam shrugged. "Look, you want good publicity. I want you to have good publicity. And you're already fighting that battle just by being a monster. You know that." She smirked, leaning forward just a little as she opened a spreadsheet that featured an incomprehensible list. "I make sure that all they remember is how amazingly sweet you are."

"...How?" PM frowned, looking up from the page he was on to stare at Sam.

"Every time you have a publicity picture taken, five random people from the latest signing get a copy in the mail. It's completely free, and once someone's received the gift, they're not going to get another. And you've signed every one." Her eyes gleamed with devious pride.

"You mean, all those pictures I was signing..." PM whispered, sitting back in his chair as he stared at her.

"Some of them were for that. There are other tiny things, but the point is that the money spent pays off. You have a reputation PM, and I'm not going to let it die," she swore, reaching one hand out to tap the binder with an unpolished nail.

"A reputation I didn't earn," he frowned, catching her hand in his paw and patting it lightly. 

Her response was a loud snort as she tugged her hand free. "You're not going to get all mopey on me, are you... _Burgerpants_?" she demanded, and he hissed sharply. "You earned that reputation with the way you treated every fan during every signing you've been part of. I just reinforce it with thoughtful little gifts and crap."

He started to answer her, but as his eyes flashed over the page of photos the binder rested on, he froze. Sam caught the cessation of movement, and she got up from her seat to stand behind him, so that she could see more easily over his shoulder.

"Which one?" she murmured into his left ear, and he absently reached a paw up to bat at her cheek. She leaned her cheek against the top of his head with a grin.

"Michelle," he noted softly, reaching out to tap a claw against the girl. She was scruffy, her hair flyaway and her clothes worn, but the grin on her face was blinding, and her eyes were the brightest green he'd ever seen in a human face.

Sam leaned in a bit, then smiled and moved to the tablet. "Michelle Sinclair," she murmured softly. "Got her."


	3. Fire and Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "All right, PM," Sam said, shooting him a look as they stood in the hall of the rundown apartment building. "Remember: this whole conversation is only as creepy as you make it."

"All right, PM," Sam said, shooting him a look as they stood in the hall of the rundown apartment building. "Remember: this whole conversation is only as creepy as you make it." PM rolled his eyes, his ears flicking back to lay flat against his head as he drew a slow breath, and then they perked back up. Sam had seen the display a hundred times over the years. She was the only one he'd never hidden this little ritual from, because she was the only one he trusted enough to share his routine. As he drew his public face down over himself, he tried not to think about the intimacy of sharing it with someone else. But if he had an apprentice...

Was this the reason Mettaton had never made good on his promise to teach PM? He didn't know, but the thought certain had merit. 

When he was calm enough, PM reached up and rapped a paw against the door. From the other side, a feminine voice called out, "Coming!" After several seconds, the door opened, and PM frowned. The woman on the other side of the door was clearly not Michelle - not unless humans grew a lot faster than PM realized. He frowned a bit, but the woman hadn't moved. She'd barely even breathed. Behind her glasses, her eyes were huge, and she clutched the door in a white-knuckled grasp as her mouth opened and closed. 

Sam cut in before PM could decide how to explain. "You must be Michelle's mother," she said, shoving herself right up against PM's back so that she could curl an arm around him for a handshake. Realizing he was taking up the full doorway, PM shifted a bit to the side, offering the woman an awkward smile.

"What?" the black-haired woman blinked, finally finding her voice. "No, I... you're here to see Grey? Er, Michelle?" PM cleared his throat, and she jumped, then realized herself. Her hand thrust out, gripping Sam's and pumping it twice before she stepped back from the door. Her cheeks were dark red, her eyes locked on the floor as she said, "Would you like to come in?" Beyond the woman, PM could see a tiny room half-filled with desks and shelves, with piles of clutter between them. Stacks of papers rested atop an ancient, boxy television set.

It was chaos.

PM ignored it all.

He made his way over to the threadbare couch taking up one wall and sank down onto it, grateful that it was clear of clutter. Sam sat beside him, tucked just a little close and exuding a calm sort of confidence that PM could tell was pure falsehood. Years of closeness allowed him to read his agent, and she was horrifically uncomfortable, but in some ways, she was a better actress than he'd ever been. PM smiled in pride.

"I'm Michelle's sister," the woman began, sitting on a computer chair opposite the couch. Her back was straight, one foot curled around the back of her ankle, and her hands folded in her lap. "But... well, they're not Michelle anymore."

PM's ear darted up at the wording, and his lips widened a little in a gentle smile. He tilted his head. "'They'?"

And suddenly, the awkward shyness in the woman was gone. Instead of her eyes flickering up to him and back to the floor as they'd been, she was staring him straight in the eyes. He could see the fire burning in her, and his awareness of their surroundings faded. She was _interesting_. "Yes. ' _They_ '," she emphasized. "They prefer to be known as Grey now, too." He could hear the challenge in her voice.

"That's an... interesting name," Sam said as diplomatically as she could manage, and the woman's eyes flashed over to Sam. That fire intensified.

Of course. Condescension as diplomacy. If he didn't step in now, the meeting might end in a bloodbath before he'd even seen the child.

"We're not here to take issue with Grey's identity," he said smoothly, and the woman's eyes were back on him. The fire faded just a bit, and he smiled warmly. "I apologize if we made it seem that way. Our records still had them listed as Michelle. Sam, you'll change that, won't you?" he added, keeping his voice companionable and soft. He wasn't sure if it was the tone, or the way he spoke about it so easily, but Grey's sister was relaxing. He could even see a tiny smile starting to curl her lips.

"Why are you here, then?" she asked, and he grinned. There was amazement and disbelief in her voice.

"You probably aren't familiar with me," he started into the speech he had practiced with Sam on the way over, but the woman waved it away before he could get any farther.

"Of course I know who you are," she snorted. "You're PM. You're Grey's favorite actor ever." She shrugged and lifted a hand to brush her hair behind one shoulder. His eyes followed the movement thoughtfully. There was a grace he hadn't expected after seeing their surroundings. "But what are you doing _here_? I mean, famous actors don't just show up... here." Her arms waved out to encompass the apartment.

"You haven't told me your name?" he prompted, and she grimaced.

"God, I'm sorry. It's just... look, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm Cecilia. I'm Grey's sister and guardian." She flashed a false smile of introduction, then looked at PM pointedly again. Beside him, PM could feel Sam bristle at being ignored, and he carefully concealed his amusement.

"Cecilia," PM purred, his voice low and warmer than even he'd expected. That fire in her intrigued him. "It's a pleasure to meet you. As to why we're here... well, this may sound a bit odd." He paused, offering a small, awkward smile, and he could see that Cecilia's attention caught. "A few years ago, when I was just starting my career, I met Grey at a signing. They said something that stuck with me all these years, and an interview I had a few nights ago reminded me of it." 

He spread his paws, his eyes softening as he thought back to the meeting. "Grey told me that they wanted to be an actor," he confided softly, and Cecilia laughed. His ears flattened at the laugh, and his eyes darted up, but there was no hint of mockery on her face. If anything, her features had softened, eyes warming.

"Because of you, right?" Cecilia noted, and PM nodded awkwardly. "Yeah. Grey decided in the middle of that first Monster Hero movie you made that they wanted to be just like you." She looked away, her smile growing oddly sad, and her arms curling around herself. "I try to get them into acting class when I can, but... well." She gestured around them again, as though the apartment explained everything. PM frowned, but beside him, Sam let out a soft sound of understanding.

"We can help with that," his agent broke in, her voice carefully gentle. 

When Cecilia looked back up, though, her eyes were back on PM. "What could you do to help?" she asked, and PM felt his soul catch in his throat. The fire may have made Cecilia bright and glorious, but hope made her beautiful.

"I'd like Grey to be my apprentice," PM explained in a soft tone. "I'd like to teach them how to be an actor like me."

"Just because of what they said?" Cecilia demanded, her voice a whisper. PM couldn't quite stop himself from leaning forward, or reaching out to touch her hand. She jumped slightly at the contact, but didn't pull away, and his soul swelled.

"Because I was just like them, once. I want to see them have a better future than I did."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pap-Chat has been wonderful about giving me little details so that I didn't use my own, as well as encouraging me. Thank you so much, guys!!!


End file.
